Is it still worth it?

[beeswax]

I'd never encourage people to become accountants or lawyers....simply because there's no enjoyment in the role

 

horses for courses. If people didn't have different interests this would be a boring world. Some folk like one type of food while others make a song and dance about it.

[dhicks]

the chances are that you'll end up being managed by an accountant as part of corporate services.

 

C'mon - this is IT, the industry that's famous for people starting businesses in a garage with two employees and a couple of PCs. If you don't like the company you work for you can leave and make your own. I mean, what kind of civilisation is it that produces "corporate services" departments, for goodness sake?

 

--

David Hicks

[witch]

Surely the best career advice is to do something you love? As beeswax says; it would be a sad world if everyone liked the same things.

And although I am sure that some IT consultants of over 45 are earning shedloads of money, it isn't always like that: my other half is a Solutions Architect, and whilst he earns more than a NM, it isnt millions and he puts up with a lot of carp working for a large unnamed telecoms co. He was a consultant but it is a cutthroat world out there and the company kept cutting back its staff, rehiring for a new project, cutting back etc which is no way to live when you have a family to support.

[torledo]

I mean, what kind of civilisation is it that produces "corporate services" departments, for goodness sake?

 

--

David Hicks

 

the type of capatilist, service-driven economy where because of financial mismanagement by a few, the priority of many is to be able to afford ever increasing mortgages and at the same time work towards a pension pot that can sustain the lifestyle to which they are accustomed...or as near as possible. Hence why people will value job prospects, and become accountants and solicitors for their entire working lives. Desire for job security and a fear of life in retirement create a situation where people are choosing careers for the long haul.

 

The problem i have with accountancy is that their primary role is to serve the purpose of those who want be clever with money....nothing wrong with that if you work hard and want your money to go as far as possible....but too many people don't graft and rely on being clever and understanding how to play the financial system in order to reward themselves. That's where accountants come in, to enable many of their clients to pay as little tax as possible foisting the majority of the tax burden on wage slave employees who don't have property portfolios and limited companies to claw the tax back.

[beeswax]

The problem i have with accountancy is that their primary role is to serve the purpose of those who want be clever with money....nothing wrong with that if you work hard and want your money to go as far as possible....but too many people don't graft and rely on being clever and understanding how to play the financial system in order to reward themselves. That's where accountants come in, to enable many of their clients to pay as little tax as possible foisting the majority of the tax burden on wage slave employees who don't have property portfolios and limited companies to claw the tax back.

 

That's a little like saying everyone who lives on a council estate is a benefits scrounger. I was self-employed for 25 years, used an accountant and claimed what was my due within the law.

[torledo]

That's a little like saying everyone who lives on a council estate is a benefits scrounger. I was self-employed for 25 years, used an accountant and claimed what was my due within the law.

 

....unfortunately accounts are there to play and rake the system for a lot of people who earn fantastic sums of money. The law isn't always fair and just....limited companies are/were obviously a tax loophole, ergo playing the system. The govt. are loathe to close any loopholes that discourages free enterprise...but enterprise in a lot of these contractor/consultant cases involved paying considerably less tax than most employed people on considerably lower incomes. Yes, it's the law, yes people are entitled to their 'due' if it's within the law - but i prefer to call a spade a spade.

 

And if we live and work in a market economy, that dictates redistribution of wealth from those on higher incomes (40% tax rates et al.).....if that's not happenign then there's obviously an unfairness in the system. Accountants can exploit that - that's all i'm trying to say.

[SpecialAgent]

richard, just stuck a job on that might be commutable/viable for you

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